News

Some pedestrians using the crosswalk at Ashby and Piedmont avenues said they feel endangered crossing the street during busy traffic hours, because the Santa Rosa lights at that intersection have been dismantled. -more-

Two days after the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) sued Berkeley Unified School District, charging it with violating California’s Proposition 209 by racially discriminating among students during placements at elementary schools and at programs at Berkeley High, school district officials said they will not change their policies. -more-

While incumbent Mayor Tom Bates, with 20 years in state office and four years as mayor, has accumulated the lion’s share of endorsements and buckets of cash—about $74,000 according to his Oct. 5 filing—challenger Zelda Bronstein is running a relentless community campaign, while raising about one-third—$24,000—the amount Bates raised. -more-

After 21 years of organizing, planning, cajoling and fund-raising, Eastshore State Park became a reality Wednesday, fulfilling the dreams of a coalition of environmentalists, politicians and organizations. -more-

While Berkeley may have been known as the free speech capital of the world, the city now lags behind seven other jurisdictions that operate under “sunshine” laws that expand California’s open government statutes. -more-

Concerns about the city attorney’s abrupt mid-September shutdown of the public process addressing complaints against police drew about a dozen people to the open portion of the joint City Council-Police Review Commission closed session Tuesday. -more-

Berkeley voters will have the chance to settle the fate of Berkeley’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO) when they vote on Measure J. -more-

A “Wanted—Jack O’Connell” flyer was posted to the Oakland Public School Parents email list this week, taking the State Superintendent to task for what it called “crimes against democracy.” -more-

The City of Oakland has three local measures on the November ballot, all them placed by a vote of the Oakland City Council. Two of them—Measures M and O—are amendments to Oakland’s city charter. One of them—Measure N—is a bond measure. -more-

With the cities of Berkeley and San Leandro already approving the use of instant runoff voting (IRV) whenever the Alameda County voting system can accommodate it—and Oakland voters scheduled to decide on an IRV ballot measure next month—the Alameda County registrar’s office has set up tentative plans for an IRV conference later this month with representatives of the county’s municipalities and other interested parties. -more-

Police seeks suspects in two sexual assaults -more-

The U.S. government’s Gulfstream jets are back in the news. -more-

Two turkey hot dogs, Tater Tots, canned fruit and chocolate milk—that was what lunch meant for Berkeley public school students a year ago. -more-

Backers of a pedestrian plaza along North Shattuck Avenue between Vine and Rose streets are ready to seek funds for the project, the project’s leading proponents say. -more-

While housekeepers waved white sheets from the Emeryville Woodfin Suite Hotel balconies early Friday morning, some 80 people—Emeryville residents, religious leaders, trade unionists, and immigrant rights activists—circled the sidewalk in front of the hotel calling on management to implement Measure C, Emeryville’s minimum wage law for hotel workers. -more-

Today (Tuesday) the City Council and Police Review Commission are scheduled to discuss whether the city can hold public inquiries to investigate complaints against Berkeley Police Department officers as they have in the past. -more-

Embattled former Berkeley Library Director Jackie Griffin, whose attorney threatened to sue the Berkeley Public Library if its trustees fired Griffin, is poised to become the next director of the Ventura County library system. -more-

Some members of the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC) will face back-to-back meetings this week as the full committee meets Wednesday night, followed by a second session Thursday for members who sit on a subcommittee looking at developments on Center Street. -more-

The Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) addressed issues concerning residential use permits on Thursday. -more-

Unwatched pot -more-

Ralph S. Hager, Oakland resident, retired physicist, and quiet activist for the disabled community, passed away at Alta Bates Hospital on Friday morning, Sept. 29. -more-